Polynema ( Polynema ) haloxyloniae Sharengaowa & Aishan, 2025

Polynema ( Polynema) haloxyloniae Sharengaowa & Aishan sp. nov.

Fig. 3 View Figure 3

Type material.

Holotype: • ♀ ( ICXU) on slide (Fig. 3 K View Figure 3 ): China, Xinjiang, Fukang, 44°13'10"N, 87°32'11"E, 5.V.2018, Hongying Hu et al., sweeping in Haloxylon forest GoogleMaps . Paratypes (all in ICXU): China, Xinjiang: • 1 ♀, Altay City, 48°03'15"N, 86°26'35"E, 3.VIII.2007, Hongying Hu et al., sweeping in Haloxylon forest GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♀, Altay Prefecture, Bürjin , 38°06'15"N, 87°06'50"E, 7.VIII.2007, Hongying Hu et al., sweeping in Haloxylon forest GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♀, Fukang: 44°13'22"N, 87°32'11"E, 5.V.2017, Hongying Hu et al., sweeping in Haloxylon forest GoogleMaps ; • 1 ♀, 44°13'16"N, 87°33'18"E, 4.VI.2017, Hongying Hu et al., sweeping in Haloxylon forest GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Body dark brown (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ); antenna (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ) with scape smooth; F 1 and F 4 subequal in length and the shortest funiculars; clava shorter than combined length of F 1 – F 3 but longer than combined length of 3 preceding flagellomeres, with seven mps. Mesosoma smooth; pronotum (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ) with six setae on each side along the anterior margin; propodeum (Fig. 3 F View Figure 3 ) with a short median carina. Forewing (Fig. 2 G View Figure 2 ) 4.4 × (4.0–4.4 ×) as long as wide. Ovipositor (Fig. 3 J View Figure 3 ) slightly exserted beyond gastral apex.

Description.

Female ( holotype and paratypes). Body length 860–930 μm ( n = 5). Body dark brown (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ), antenna brown except pedicel yellowish-brown, petiole pale brown, legs yellowish-brown.

Head (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ) in frontal view 0.6 × (0.6–0.8 ×) as high as wide. Antenna (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ) with scape smooth, 2.6 × (2.1–2.7 ×) as long as wide (including a short radicle); pedicel 1.6 × (1.5–1.6 ×) as long as wide, with the same length as F 2; F 1 and F 4 as long as and the shortest funiculars; F 6 with one mps; clava 2.9 × (2.6–2.9 ×) as long as wide, shorter than combined length of F 1 – F 3 but longer than combined length of three preceding flagellomeres, with seven mps.

Mesosoma smooth, 1.4 × (1.4–1.6 ×) as long as wide; pronotum (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ) divided mediolongitudinally, with six setae on each side along the anterior margin; mesoscutum (Fig. 3 E View Figure 3 ) wider than long; scutellum (Fig. 3 E View Figure 3 ) 0.7 × (0.7–0.8 ×) as long as wide, shorter than mesoscutum; frenum short, separated from scutellum by a row of small, inconspicuous foveae; propodeum (Fig. 3 F View Figure 3 ) with a short median carina. Forewing (Fig. 3 G View Figure 3 ) 4.4 × (4.0–4.4 ×) as long as wide; disc hyaline, densely setose beyond venation, with discal setae originating behind apex of submarginal vein (Fig. 3 H View Figure 3 ), many of them 9–17 μm long; longest marginal seta 0.9 × (0.8–0.9 ×) greatest width of forewing; hypochchaeta not reaching posterior margin of forewing (Fig. 3 H View Figure 3 ). Hind wing (Fig. 3 I View Figure 3 ) 39 × (39–42 ×) as long as wide; disc hyaline, with two rows of setae; longest marginal seta 6.4 × (6.4–7.1 ×) greatest width of hind wing.

Metacoxa (Fig. 3 J View Figure 3 ) smooth, in lateral view a little shorter than petiole. Petiole (Fig. 3 J View Figure 3 ) ~ 1.8 × (1.8–2.1 ×) as long as wide, in dorsal view with inconspicuous transverse striations, and expanded basally. Ovipositor (Fig. 3 J View Figure 3 ) 1.0 × (1.0–1.1 ×) as long as gaster, slightly exserted beyond gastral apex, 1.6 × (1.6–2.0 ×) length of mesotibia and 1.7 × (1.3–1.8 ×) length of metatibia.

Measurements of the holotype (μm). Head height: width: 89: 138; mesosoma (in dorsal view) length: width: 177: 131; mesoscutum length: width: 69: 113; scutellum length: width: 55: 77; median carina length: 6.5; petiole length: width: 48: 27; gaster length: width: 224: 142; ovipositor length: 232; exserted part of ovipositor: 30; antennal segments length: width: scape: 49: 19; pedicel: 32: 20; F 1: 19: 7; F 2: 32: 7; F 3: 25: 7; F 4: 19: 9; F 5: 17: 11; F 6: 27: 14; clava: 68: 23; forewing length: width: 478: 107; longest marginal seta length: 94; discal setae length: 4–7; hind wing length: width: 433: 11; longest marginal seta length: 70; mesotibia length: 141; metatibia length: 132.

Male. Unknown.

Hosts.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Named after the host plant genus, Haloxylon ( Amaranthaceae ).

Distribution.

China ( Xinjiang).

Comments.

This species has thus far been recorded exclusively in the low-altitude desert regions of Xinjiang ( 376–525 m), with its host plants identified as Haloxylon spp. Polynema haloxyloniae has not been observed on any other vegetation types and is presumed to specifically parasitize eggs of hemipteran insects within this particular Haloxylon forest habitat.

Other newly recorded species of Polynema ( Polynema) from China (in alphabetical order)